NationStates Jolt Archive

Okay, I don't watch sports. My daughter however has decided to start watching football. Now I used to play football(American style) with my cousins on Thanksgiving but was told the bare bones info about it.

basically

1) catch the ball
2) run that way
3) don't get knocked down
4) if you do get knocked down DON'T DROP THE BALL

I am very sure there is more to the game than this.

Can someone give me the basics of American football?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football

that's about it when you're in someone's backyard. :headbang:

that's about it when you're in someone's backyard. :headbang:
yeah, but she is wanting to watch NFL, and ask me questions and I have no clue, and I don't have much interest in it so it is really boring, we only have 1 TV and that is how she wants to spend her weekly TV time. I am trying to survive it.

yeah, but she is wanting to watch NFL, and ask me questions and I have no clue, and I don't have much interest in it so it is really boring, we only have 1 TV and that is how she wants to spend her weekly TV time. I am trying to survive it.
Yeah, football pretty much blows. I pity you.

also the state that I live in doesn't have an NFL team. How do you pick one to follow?
are you supposed to watch all the games or just all the games for your team?

Two of the states that border us have teams but everyone here is really into college ball, so I kinda have been conditioned not to like my bordering states. I would feel wrong rooting for them.

Anyone know a good team?

Well, if you want to try to get her off the NFL. Tell her to root for the Lions. There our lost cause. Or if you like to go for the hopeless teams. If your state doesn't have one just pick some random team and always cheer for them.

Well, if you want to try to get her off the NFL. Tell her to root for the Lions. There our lost cause. Or if you like to go for the hopeless teams. If your state doesn't have one just pick some random team and always cheer for them.
It really would be easier to get her interested in college football. Well unless she went for the wrong team. ( I say that because there is a big bedlam rivalry here, people who don't even like sports have thier team picked)

I was trying to get her interested in highschool ball because we could go see a real game for $2 every friday night, and I would get my monday nights back.

I will look into the Lions, see if thier games air here, and if thier colors are pretty lol. I would like the idea of rooting for a hopeless team. It would make me feel charitable. :D

It's very simple, really. Each team has four chances, called downs, to advance the ball at least 10 yards. If they can do that, they get another four chances, until they can get the ball past the opposite team's goal line. They then score a touchdown, which is worth 6 points. They can get one additional point by kicking the ball between the two posts, or two additional points by running the ball past the goal line again. They only get one chance to do that.

If they can't get those ten yards in four chances then the ball passes to the other team and they have to do the same. That's why on fourth down, if things don't look well, most of the time teams will choose to kick the ball, so that the other team has to start farther away from the goal line.

If on that fourth down the team is close enough to the goal line, they may choose to kick the ball and make it go between the two posts at the end. That's a field goal, worth 3 points.

Basically, that's it. If you have more specific questions let us know.

Anyone know a good team?
NE PATS!

It's very simple, really. Each team has four chances, called downs, to advance the ball at least 10 yards. If they can do that, they get another four chances, until they can get the ball past the opposite team's goal line. They then score a touchdown, which is worth 6 points. They can get one additional point by kicking the ball between the two posts, or two additional points by running the ball past the goal line again. They only get one chance to do that.

If they can't get those ten yards in four chances then the ball passes to the other team and they have to do the same. That's why on fourth down, if things don't look well, most of the time teams will choose to kick the ball, so that the other team has to start farther away from the goal line.

If on that fourth down the team is close enough to the goal line, they may choose to kick the ball and make it go between the two posts at the end. That's a field goal, worth 3 points.

Basically, that's it. If you have more specific questions let us know.

Thank God. I had no idea what they were talking about with downs and stuff. That should be enough to get me through a few games until I figure out the rest through just watching. :D

also the state that I live in doesn't have an NFL team. How do you pick one to follow?
are you supposed to watch all the games or just all the games for your team?

Two of the states that border us have teams but everyone here is really into college ball, so I kinda have been conditioned not to like my bordering states. I would feel wrong rooting for them.

Anyone know a good team?

New England Patriots, man. Best team in a while. Certainly not a bad team to be on the bandwagon for, if that's your thing.

Also, what state? One or both of your neighbors could have 'regional' teams, like NE, or Carolina.

You can watch one team only, or as many games as you can. I personally don't get much interested in watching any sport unless my team is playing. College ball isn't bad, either. That is, unless it is in your locality, like it was for me my freshman year (0-10, we lost our opener 77-7 at home vs. Georgia Tech).

It's very simple, really. Each team has four chances, called downs, to advance the ball at least 10 yards. If they can do that, they get another four chances, until they can get the ball past the opposite team's goal line. They then score a touchdown, which is worth 6 points. They can get one additional point by kicking the ball between the two posts, or two additional points by running the ball past the goal line again. They only get one chance to do that.

If they can't get those ten yards in four chances then the ball passes to the other team and they have to do the same. That's why on fourth down, if things don't look well, most of the time teams will choose to kick the ball, so that the other team has to start farther away from the goal line.

If on that fourth down the team is close enough to the goal line, they may choose to kick the ball and make it go between the two posts at the end. That's a field goal, worth 3 points.

Basically, that's it. If you have more specific questions let us know.

I've been sitting in the band for five years trying to figure out what exactly is going on.

I understand now. It's amazing.

(directed at the thread starter) First off what state do you live in? (Just wondering cause you said they don't have a NFL team), and second, get involved in college football, the heritage and rivalrys go back forever, not to metion the awesome tailgate parties! :D

(directed at the thread starter) First off what state do you live in? (Just wondering cause you said they don't have a NFL team), and second, get involved in college football, the heritage and rivalrys go back forever, not to metion the awesome tailgate parties! :D
Oklahoma
I come from an OU family and my husband from and OSU family.
Most of my husbands friends go in for the Dallas Cowboys but coming from an OU family you are indoctrinated from birth that Texas= Evil.
To illustrate this point I could do the longhorns upside down thing at 6 months.

My husband thought it would be fun to get her into college ball, but of course he wants her to like the Cowboys and I am all the way Sooners.

an NFL team would probibly be better at keeping the family peace.

Oklahoma
I come from an OU family and my husband from and OSU family.
Most of my husbands friends go in for the Dallas Cowboys but coming from an OU family you are indoctrinated from birth that Texas= Evil.
To illustrate this point I could do the longhorns upside down thing at 6 months.

My husband thought it would be fun to get her into college ball, but of course he wants her to like the Cowboys and I am all the way Sooners.

an NFL team would probibly be better at keeping the family peace.
Ah, I live in Nebraska(as you can tell), being a Nebraska Fan I learn the 3 rules of NU football, 1) OU = Evil, 2) Texas = Even more evil, 3) Colorado = bunch of bastards, personally I like how OU just lost and I hope OSU beats OU.

For pro, my favorite teams are Green Bay and the Patriots, my parents don't really care about NFL.

Ah, I live in Nebraska(as you can tell), being a Nebraska Fan I learn the 3 rules of NU football, 1) OU = Evil, 2) Texas = Even more evil, 3) Colorado = bunch of bastards, personally I like how OU just lost and I hope OSU beats OU.

For pro, my favorite teams are Green Bay and the Patriots, my parents don't really care about NFL.
ah so being fully aquainted with college rivalries you can understand my reluctance to root for either Texas or Kansas.

Yeah I said I don't watch sports, but the OU/Nebraska game is required veiwing around here. It is kinda like Thanksgiving, the whole family gets together and eats a lot of food. It is almost it's own holiday. (to some in my family, it IS the most important day of the year, I had a cousin who went into labor during the game one year and waited until half-time to push and then watched the rest of the game.)